Bane of the Sea
by DreamHard
Summary: On the Dawn Treader, the crew agrees on something, Ed argues, Lucy remembers, Eustace complains, and a story is told…
1. Chapter 1

**Summary-** On the _Dawn Treader_, the crew agrees on something, Ed argues, Lucy remembers, Eustace complains, and a story is told…

**Disclaimer- **I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia, it belongs solely to C.S. Lewis, even though I wish I did.

**A/N: **This is my first story, so I am open for all criticism. If you see a problem, please tell me.

I hope you enjoy!

* * *

**_Bane of the Sea_**

_Introduction_

It had become a tradition with the crew on the Dawn Treader to all tell a story after dinner. Usually it would be one of great sea battles, or of the legendary adventures of the great heroes of old, of mysterious lands across the sea. The Narnians would tell tales of the fall of Narnia, and the rise of the Telmarines, and of how they had kept hidden in the woods all those years. Caspian would tell stories of the campaigns and wars his fore-fathers fought in. Edmund and Lucy would tell stories of the old days, of the Golden Age, and sometimes stories of England. Eustace would complain and mope, like usual. Tonight was no exception.

"This tea tastes weird."

Edmund rolled his eyes and tried to hold on to the last shred of patience as he explained to the other boy that it was a Archenlandian coffee, revered for its taste.

"Well, Alberta and Harold say that coffee stunts your growth."

Edmund resisted the urge to choke the annoying boy.

"Sorry lad, it's all we got. Pirates flinched the last of the tea," an old, salty sailor commented.

" Aye, those pirates are the bane of the sea, no morals whatsoever, the world would be a much better place without them." Growls of agreement were heard among the sailors.

"You know, not all pirates are bad."

Edmund wasn't even aware that it was he who had spoken. The crew looked at him in askance.

"Are you kiddin' me boy, those pirates are lying, thieving bastards!"

"Lying cowards!"

"Thieving murders!"

"Plundering backstabbers!"

The list went on and on and on.

"Well, obviously their rules have changed from my day."

"Rules? They have no rules!"

"Actually, they do." Edmund smiled." A whole list in fact, pirates from my day were more disciplined then most lords of provinces."

A sailor with a ring in his ear and two golden teeth looked at him suspiciously. "And how are you knowing all this about pirates?"

Lucy spoke up."Actually, a former pirate was one the best government officials we've ever had the pleasure of working with. She became an advisor to Aravis later on, I think." Lucy looked inquiringly at Edmund. He nodded, lost in old memories.

"Aye, the Countess of Meric Territory, the ambassador to Narnia and head official of Narnian-Archenlandian commerce, ect."

Lucy nodded. "And she was Ed's-"Lucy paused and cast a glance at Edmund, whose cheeks had taken a noticeable red color." Well, that's not for me to say."

Caspian timidly asked (sensing this was a tender subject), "A story, your highnesses?"

Edmund shared a look with Lucy, and a silent agreement was reached. Edmund suddenly grinned.

"Of course, we would never miss the chance to tell about Old Narnia. Ladies (excuse me, lady) and gentlemen, I present to you, the Bane of the Sea!"

The crew cheered, glad to hear a story of the legendary Golden Age. "Now, in the fourth year of our reign, Lucy and I set out on a diplomatic venture to help stabilize our influence in the Lone Islands and Galma…"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Technology hates me. Why, you may ask? Well, this is kind of embarrassing, but I couldn't figure out how to upload this chapter. Yeah, I know. So, after hours of endless torture, I have finally figured out how to upload this chapter, thus, without further ado, I present to you, the first chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the literary genius that is the Chronicles of Narnia, however, I do own the two movies, the entire series, and am looking forward to the **_**Voyage of the Dawn Treader **_**movie.**

_

* * *

_

We left the Lone Islands several days behind schedule, due to the discovery of a thriving slave trade. We missed our ship and were forced to board a rather seedy-looking vessel. We bribed the Captain, and told him to hasten with all speed to Galma…

The Eloin Current.

It was the very embodiment of power to seafarers, a mixture of speed and strength. Only three types of sailors would dare invade its waters, the very powerful, the very stupid, and the pirates. This particular captain was of the very stupid. He knew that a storm was coming, and that the Eloin Current was especially dangerous at that time. He also knew that those waters were infested with pirates, as it was a prime trading route. Yet he decided to take the bribe from those two rich teens and decided to let them and their entourage of strange creatures on to his boat. Now he was seeing how wrong he was. They had been making good speed, until last night. Then the storm had struck, and tossed them on this blasted reef. They were grounded, the only thing he could do know was pray that a savior would come and rescue him from this nightmare. That savior came, but not in the way he expected.

A young man who had been on crow-nest duty swung down from the rigging.

"What is it lad?" the captain growled.

"A ship has been spotted of the starboard side, sir!"

The lad's voice was shrill with excitement and his face flushed with hope. The captain took out his telescope and swept if across the horizon. If this was a false alarm, he would bloody well kill that blasted lad for getting his hopes up- there! A black sail was barely visable in the tossing, wild sea.

"Aye! Good eyes lad! Seem's our luck has turned!

The young man flushed even more with pride. He idolized the captain, and was eager to prove his worth. The dark-haired tall youth, Edmund, came over.

"See anything Captain?"

The older man handed the king the telescope.

"Black sails on the horizon. Looks as if our luck has turned, finally, for the better."

Edmund's lip's tightened.

"Don't be so sure of that. Tell me, what flag does a pirate ship sail under?"

The ship had instantly gone from discouraged to hopeful to devastated. A pirate ship, that was even worse than drowning. They had all heard the stories; they knew what happened to those who were captured by pirates. It was because of this that the pirate made a crucial choice. They were doomed if they stayed of the ship, but maybe, maybe they may have a chance to escape if they abandoned ship, left on the rafts. There was only one problem. They weren't planning on having passengers, so they only had enough rafts for the crew. Then again those strangers were the ones who got them in this situation in the first place. The captain's grudge eventually conquered his sense of duty.

He approached Edmund, trying to act like he wasn't trying to leave them to the pirates while he and his crew escaped.

"Sir, were going to try to fight off these pirates, but you're going to have to go to the hold. We'll come for you when the fighting's over. If we don't," he tried to smile sadly and look brave and scared at the same time, "then you'll know we haven't succeeded."

Edmund looked at him with such a solemn, noble look in his eyes that the traitorous captain fought the urge to tell the truth and beg for forgiveness. Finally the young man nodded and turned away, ordering his strange posse to get down to the hold. The captain turned away and released the breathe he didn't know he was holding in, and then jumped as a hand touched his arm. The boy Edmund stood there, looking with that strange stare.

* * *

"Thank you."

He was truly grateful, the captain observed. He nodded and the two men stood eye to eye for a few moments until Edmund left for the hold. Later, when the captain was being drenched by ocean spray and fleeing with only the clothes on his back and a grounded ship to his name, he wondered.

"Edmund?" Lucy's voice came through his quiet musings. There was something not right with that man, he looked too- guilty?

"Yes Lu?"

"I left my dagger on deck, can I go get it?"

Edmund smiled at his baby sister."No need Lu, I'll go."

Lucy frowned."But Ed-"

He had already left.

* * *

Edmund walked up the stairs quickly. There was something not quite right, something missing. He was glad it was so quiet so that he could- quiet. That was it, there was no sound. On a ship there always was sound, the captain yelling, sails creaking, voices shouting. And if there was no sound, that would mean-. Edmund was now running up the stairs two at a time. He reached the deck and saw- nothing. He swore under his breath. The swine had jumped ship and left them for the pirates! He saw Lucy's dagger and reached his hand out to grab it when a knife buried itself in between his appendage and the dagger. Edmund jumped back as if stung.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Edmund twisted around to see a group of tawdry dressed sea-gypsies. His heart sank.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Well, not much to say, except that we got our first ****real**** snow fall this week. Hello ski season!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia, if I did, I would be the great and magnificent C.S. Lewis, and I definitely am not him.**

"_I won't lie, I was terrified. For this pirate ship was no ordinary ship, it was the Phantom, the most feared ship in the entire Eastern Main…"_

The _Phantom_ was a fully rigged galleon, with a motley crew of all nationalities, all sailing under one sail and sailing under one man. It was rumored that this ship was the daughter of the sea, a spawn to all ships, the queen of all pirates. She could control the sea, emerge out of waves, and order the weather to do its bidding. The crew was just as magnificent. They were the very lowest of the low, the evilest, vilest, wickedest outcasts of society. The captain was the evil son of a king, who killed his family for power, then ran to sea once his dastardly deed was discovered. This was the legend of the_ Phantom_.

The truth was far from it.

The truth was that the _Phantom_ was a ship formerly captained by a Captain Groves. He was a kind man, who, by the cruel twists of fate, had been thrown into the backstabbing world of piracy. He was touched when a young man came to him with a tale of how he had been wrongly accused for a crime he didn't commit. Groves hired the man immediately. Through the years, the two men became close friends. The young man (Dar was his name) had grown into a jovial man, very popular with the ladies. He left the crew, had gotten himself a wife (whom he loved dearly) and a baby daughter. Dar rejoined the crew, in need of money, and Groves hired him happily as second mate. One thing led to another, and they were being pursued by two Terebinthian ships (they were pirates after all). There was a fight, in which Groves died and named Dar as Captain of the _Phantom_. Captain Dar soon rose high in the pirate world, until he was the most esteemed pirates in the Eastern Sea. Then he got message that his wife had died, leaving a child.

Enter Darcy Warner.

Darcy was a strong willed, daring, energetic young lady. She had lived on the_ Phantom_ ever since her mother died. She was rarely seen without a grin on her face, usually one of mischief. Her figure was slightly shorter than the average height, though every inch rang with vigor. She had rather dull brown-red hair, usually braided back and tied with a bandana. She had green eyes and a myriad of freckles spread across her tanned nose. At the time being, she was on the rigging, watching in amusement as the first and second mates argued. Tallin, a Carlormen and the second mate of the _Phantom_, had been treating the prisoners rather cruelly, which Thornton, first mate, had protested. It was funny to watch the two different men argue because they were so unlike the other. Tallin was tall and thin, like a rail. Unlike most of his Carlomen kinsmen, he did not speak in well modulated voice and eloquent words, preferring the rough way of speech of the tavern men and gangs. He was proud and cruel, with an odd obsession over gold. His teeth were gold, his sash was gold, and all of his jewelry was gold. He was dressed in red with, guess what, gold embroidery. He did not believe that those in higher authority should dirty their hands doing work. Thornton on the other hand was kind man who believed in the Lion's Law, that every man is just as equal as his neighbor. He was of average height, with a large nose that had been broken many times. He had a wife and two twin boys. He was the closest to Darcy, excluding her father.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand. The two men were nearly coming to blows, each yelling and blustering. However, they had been going at it for at least 30 minutes, and it was starting to get old. Darcy decided to stop the argument once and for all. She grabbed a rope and plummeted down to the deck, right in between the two arguing men. They did nothing, only continued arguing. However, they had got used to it after the first two months. Darcy tried to talk with them, she really did. However, her patience was as nearly as short as her temper, so she stuck two fingers on her mouth and whistled, loud. It was and art she had worked long and hard on perfecting, in fact, she had gotten so good you could hear it over the chaos and clamor of a sea battle. The two men instantly stopped arguing and looked at her.

"All right, what's going on? I can't hear meself think, you two are going on so loud!"

The two men started talking all at once, so that the following conversation was so fast and mixed up that Darcy could barely make a head or tail of it.

"He was treating them meanly, you see-"

"Looked to noble, they're prisoners!"

"T'wasn't right to treat another man like that-"

"Weird horse thing was given me the willies-"

"Those new crew-members that he found, they got hearts blacker then-"

"Insulted me honor!"

"Hasn't done anything to deserve his position-"

"Thinks he's better than me-"

"Done nothin' but moan-"

"Jealous of me ever since I got on-"

"Does everything incorrectly-"

"Won't admit he's wrong-"

"Selfish prat-"

"Bloody jealous-"

"Snivel-nosed!"

"Weak-spined!"

"Bastard!"

"Coward!"

"Shut up!"

The two ceased yelling.

"So, let me get this straight. Tallin was treating the captives cruelly and so Thornton got mad and decided to give Tallin a piece of his mind, which insulted his honor, which then made the two of you argue."

The two men nodded. Darcy stroked her chin, apparently in thought.

"There is a simple way to solve this."

"What?" the two said in unison.

"I'm in charge of the prisoners. You can do-something. Just please stop arguing!"

"Hey, you can't boss us around."

"Yeah, you're not the boss of us!"

"Uh, I'm the captain's daughter. Of course I'm in charge of you."

The two men glowered at her; however the seventeen-year-old had faced far worse than two angry grown men. She glared back just as defiantly. However, the staring match was interrupted by a ruckus over by the prisoners. One of the sailors was trying to tear a young man away from the rest of the captives, and wasn't having a fun time doing it. Darcy marched over.

"What's going on Marcus?" she said, addressing the sailor.

"Captain Dar wants this one for questioning," Marcus said, jerking his head in the direction of the young man, who was being restrained between two burly sailors.

"Hmm," Darcy said.

"Well, lucky for you chaps, I have the perfect solution to our problem."

Everyone looked at her. She gave a huge toothy smile and with a sudden lunge, had Lucy pinned to a wall with a knife at her throat.

The prisoners jumped forward, but the other pirates quickly subdued them as Darcy finished her statement.

"We take her too."

Edmund and Lucy were hustled to the captain's cabin without trouble, even though they didn't really have a choice, due to the sharp knife at Lucy's throat.

The cabin was rather nondescript and plain. There was a desk scattered with charts and maps, walls hung with more maps and charts, and a book case full of even more maps and charts. The man at the desk was looked like a regular sailor. It was easy to see were Darcy got her eyes, Captain Dar's twinkled just, or maybe even more, mischievously, then Darcy's. He was greeted with a giant bear hug from his daughter. The captain laughed jovially.

"Well, dear daughter of mine. Have you threatened our dear guests already?"

Darcy laughed."Pirate, Father, pirate."

The captain then turned to the two unknown rulers. His eyes shone with something, maybe awe, or pride?

"Please leave us, Marcus."

The sailor was confused."Captain?"

"It's ok, I'm sure that Darcy alone will be a match for our guests, should they choose to do something foolish." He winked at the sailor, putting him at ease.

"Aye, sir."

The captain waited until Marcus and the other sailors were gone, then turned back to Edmund and Lucy, his eyes shining brightly.

Then he unsheathed his sword and-

-knelt at their feet.

"The mighty lion has blessed me for letting me see you, your majesties. May your reign be long and prosperous."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Its 25 degrees outside. Twenty-five degrees. And that's not counting wind-chill. Yeah, I know. Anyway, and so the plot thickens in this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I am not the great and amazing C.S Lewis. If I was, would I be really be here?**

"_It was very surprising, to say the least. It's not every day a pirate captain bows at your feet without a sword at his neck."_

"Father?"

Edmund and Lucy were shocked, and were totally confused. A pirate had just addressed them with the traditional greeting for Narnian knights. In fact, they were so confused that they had completely forgotten about the pirate maid in the cabin, who was standing with her mouth dropped open.

Lucy was the first to recover. She quickly drew up Captain Dar from where he was kneeling and replied, in the traditional Narnian manner "May the stars guide you on your journey."

Edmund, still in shock, mumbled some sort of replica of Lucy's answer. Darcy, from where she stood, recovered and immediately started bombarding her father with questions.

"Wait, majesties? Who are these people? If they're royals, than why are they here? How do you know them? Who's the mighty Lion? What's going on?"

The captain seized Darcy by her hands and swung her merrily around. After a couple of swings, after which Darcy got very dizzy, he released her and slung a hand over her shoulders.

"These, my dear, are the kings and queens of Narnia, appointed by Aslan, defeaters of the White Witch, and our ticket home."

"We are home."

"Well, un-technically yes, but technically no."

"Huh?"

Captain Dar rolled his eyes at his daughter, and then proceeded dancing around the cabin. He then grabbed Lucy and swung her around, just as he had to his daughter. Darcy cast Edmund a glance clearly communicating,"See what I have to live with?" Edmund couldn't help laughing,it was rather amusing how much his captors reminded him of his family.

"Excuse me sir, but what are you going to do with us?" The question had come from Lucy once the Captain put her down and the room had stopped spinning.

"Do?" Dar threw his hands in the air." Why we're taking you home, of course."

"Wait, hold up. Taking them home? They live in a _castle_, with guards, and big pointy weapons, and lots of soldiers, with a firm dislike of _pirates_. And we could get a huge ransom, I mean, they're royalty."

Dar chuckled."Spoken like a true pirate." He paused."I do suppose that I shouldn't be proud of that."

Darcy smiled.

"So let me get this straight. You're going to take us home, and not hurt us, not hold us against our will, and not ransom us? How are you pirates?"

The Captain smiled."We're considered peculiar, even by pirate standards. Now, would you want me to announce that you're not captives now, or just lock you in a cabin."

Lucy and Edmund looked at each other. If he announced that they weren't captives, the crew could get suspicious. On the other hand, if he locked them in the cabin, the crew would still get suspicious. There was really only one way to go.

"We'd appreciate it you kept our identities a secret. Just say that we're part of the crew."

"Part of the crew?"

"Yes, just another crewmember."

"And so, do you want us to treat you just like the crew?"

Lucy and Edmund exchanged glances.

"Just another part of the crew."

* * *

"You missed a spot."

Edmund sat on his hindquarters and glared at the green-eyed pirate who stood before him, her arms crossed.

"Really, I'd like to see you do better."

She wrinkled her nose."Can't, I'm the captain's daughter."

She winked at Edmund impudently, then grabbed a rope and fled up the rigging.

"I'm going to get you for that!" Edmund shouted.

"You there, get back to work!" Tallin yelled.

Edmund sighed and started re-mopping the deck. He really needed to work on his diplomatic skills.

* * *

Tallin nursed his cup of beer as he peered through the shadows in the brig. It was rather dark, and scary, and creepy, and-"Ah!"

He jumped as a hand was felt on his shoulder, then quickly composed himself.

"You're late," he accused the unseen guest. The person in the shadows rolled his eyes.

"I got a little delayed. Anyway, Barak said that as long as we pull into the Twin Island Harbor, the attack will happen tonight."

"Fine." Tallin was more or less OK with the decision. Twin Island was rather far from Carlormen, where he had been originally heading, but it was more or less on his way.

"What do you think of the captives?"

"Odd, what are they?"

"I think they're some of those demons from the North."

"Will they be killed too, or will they be captured?"

"None of your business, your job is to keep quiet."

"Whatever you say."

"Just keep your mouth shut."

* * *

"Well, it's not as if I expected anything else, "Edmund thought as he ducked a plate flying at his head. This is a pirate ship, after all. He thought as he carried his plate to a table where he, Lucy, the faun Hallen, the Centaur Maris, the fox Vilnius, and other members of their entourage sat. It was one table away from the Captain's table, and here he could hear snippets of their conversation.

"-and from there we'll head to Dead Man's Rock, and then Bellering Island."

"No, we should go Smertling Strait, and then the Lone Islands."

"Why don't we just go to Carlormen, like we were planning to?"

"'Cause the captain said we're not to."

"What if we go to the Twin Islands?"

Tallin looked up in shock. Thornton had just recommended that the captain go the exact place that the mysterious stranger said that the attack would happen. Could it be that he was the one Tallin met with every night?

"Excellent!" the Captain declared."We can get there by tomorrow morning!"

Tallin looked around, nothing seemed out of place, no one looked as if they were listening in. Then his gaze met that boy's, Edmund's stare. They held it until Tallin turned away. He was rather mad at the thought. It was known that to look away from an opponent was the sign of submission. And he was a pirate, one of the fiercest warriors in the entire Eastern Sea. And he wouldn't submit to a boy.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I just saw the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It was awesome! In other news, I have not been updating because of one thing-winter. This story is going to be on hiatus for a while, because I am going on vacation- but I am not, repeat not, going to abandon this story. I will return in a while. In other other news, I want a Kindle for Christmas.**

**Disclaimer: I obviously am not the amazing C.S. Lewis.**

"_We expected to be at the Twin Islands be the next morning. We arrived there a week later due to a storm and several fat merchant ships. During this time, our dear brother heard some very disturbing news from and untrustworthy source."_

Peter sat on his throne in a very comfortable slump. Edmund and Lucy had been gone for far too long, they should have arrived at Galma several days ago, and sent him that letter that they promised to send at every port.

"Worrywart."

Peter looked up to see his sister, Susan, still dressed in her riding clothes. Peter rolled his eyes.

"It's an older brother thing."

Susan was about to answer him with a snappy comeback, but they were interrupted by Mr. Tumnus, clattering in on his little goat-feet, looking flustered and excited. He had not been able to go on the voyage due to a terrible fear of water.

"Majesties, majesties! There's finally a visitor here with news of your siblings!"

Peter clapped his hands.

"That'll be the messenger," he said to Susan out of the corner of his mouth.

"Send him in, by all means!"

A seedy-looking, black-eyed man came in and threw himself at Peter's feet.

"My lord, I bring news of your siblings, the King Edmund and Queen Lucy."

"What happened, are they in good health?" Peter interrogated, for he was sure that this cheap-looking man was not the raven he had sent with Edmund and Lucy so that they could communicate.

"Alas, my liege, they have been captured."

Peter's heart stopped beating. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. Tumnus nervously stepped back and Susan laid a hand on his shoulder- they had seen this before. The High King was very, very angry.

He grabbed the frightened man by his neck and pushed him up on the wall, ignoring Susan's gasp.

"You lie." He told the man, who shook his head and managed to gurgle out.

"Not lying!"

"Then, if we were to say that you were not lying, how would this have happened?"

He lessened his grasp on the man's throat long enough to for him to speak.

"There was a storm and the ship we were on was grounded on a reef. We were attacked by a pirate ship, and your siblings were captured. I was lucky to escape with my life."

If Peter was thinking clearly, he would have noticed several flaws in the captain's story (for it was indeed the captain who had left Lucy and Edmund for the pirates while he and his men escaped). For one, how did the captain escape? However, blinded by his anger, Peter did not see those flaws. Only one thing was known to Peter. His siblings were captured, and the wide protective streak in him wanted them home, no matter what the cost. One more question was needed.

"What was the name of the pirate ship?"

The captain gulped, Peter's grip was tightening on his throat.

"I'll ask you again, what was the name of the pirate ship?"

The captain decided to answer before he met his end early.

"It was -the _Phantom_."

The man crumpled to the floor as Peter strode away.

"Oreius, get our ships out there. I want the_ Phantom_ at the bottom of the ocean."

They had run into a storm not fit for many men. But the_ Phantom_ had Dar as captain. Yet not even she could get through a storm like that and still make it to the Twin Island in three day's time. They had reached the Isles two day's late, exhausted and tired. That was when the attack came. They were under attack before they knew they had been boarded. Their attackers were a Carlomen merchantry for hire called the _Flames of Tashabaan_. They were nothing more than the most primitive form of pirates, those who followed no rules and had no code of conduct. It was sent to destroy the _Phantom_. More importantly, they were sent to kill Captain Dar and his daughter. As you can tell, there is untold depths to this story.

Clang!

Captain Dar brought his sword swinging down heavily on his opponents' blade. The pirate thrust his sword into an attacker's howling face, and then ducked as a blade narrowly missed his head. Thornton, protecting his back, dispatched his opponent by pushing him overboard. The two men stopped to rest and observe the battle. Darcy was clashed blades with a pirate sneaking up behind her on the rigging, then whirling around to face yet another opponent, a Carolmen with golden teeth and a ring in his ear. A crewmember of the _Phantom_ screamed as a sword was thrust into his heart, and Tallin-. Dar gritted his teeth in anger. Tallin was swinging over to the other ship. The dirty little traitor! He was the cause for this!

His eyes looked at the opposing ship, then widened in shock and fear. He grew pale as his eyes tried to convince his brain that yes, what he saw was real. For by the steering wheel, there stood a party of men dressed in a way that you would expect a king in his court to be dressed, not a group of men on a merchantry ship. Out of those men, Dar only had eyes for three. A man dressed in a scarlet jacket, who gripped the steering wheel, Tallin, who had gotten on the ship mere minutes before, and a man who looked just like Dar, if it hadn't been for the malicious smile across his face.

Dar gulped.

"Thornton-"The man in question turned towards him, and, seeing his captain's unhealthy pallor, spoke in alarm?"

"Sir?"

"Thornton, are we friends?"

"Well, yes, I do suppose we are, sir?"

"Then as a friend, would you promise something to me?"

"Yes, anything sir."

"Promise me- that you'll protect Darcy, and tell her the truth."

"I already promised you that, remember. But only if you-."Thornton stopped, and looked in the direction that Dar was staring. His face became pale- if not more pale then Dar's.

"Remember your promise."

It was probably the dumbest- or bravest- thing he had ever done. Thornton thought. For it was known that Dar would do anything for his darling daughter- even if it meant sacrificing his life. Dar marched up to the starboard deck, the deck closest to the opposing ship. Then he looked back, and gave his old friend a salute and a grin. Then he swung over to what was, inevitably, his death.

Darcy swung and slashed, ducked and parried. She twisted around to face the new opponent- only to find that it was Thornton.

"What are you doing here?" She yelled over the sounds of combat.

"We've got to get out of here!" He yelled back, equally as loud.

"But-"she yelped as Thornton grabbed her and hauled her away.

Darcy crashed into Thornton as he stopped abruptly.

"Wait!"

"What?" Darcy mumbled, nursing a bruised forehead.

"Where are their majesties?"

"Uhhhh- last time I saw, the lubbers were fighting on the stern deck."

And so Edmund and Lucy- the "lubbers" as Darcy had begun to call them- were dragged away as unceremoniously as Darcy was.

They met up in the captains' cabin, where Darcy had already been deposited and told not to leave under pain of death.

"Alright, what's going on? Where's my father? Why are we here? Why are they here?"

"Those are a lot of questions and we have very little time."

He stopped and made sure that he had the attention of the three.

"Now listen carefully. Your father, in a past life, was a man of great standards. In fact, he was a lord."

Darcy's eyes widened. "A lord?"

Thornton nodded." Yes, now shush. He was a lord, and was very well liked. That was until his parent's were killed and he was blamed. Now the only penalty for murder is death, but the king of that country was your father's friend and banished him instead. But he gave him a chance, that if your father could return in 25 years with proof that he was innocent, he would give him back his title."

"Father has the proof, doesn't he?"

"Yes, and the time is nearly up. But the man who framed the Captain doesn't want him to come back, as he is now the lord instead of Dar."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: The mourning song in this chapter is "The End of all Things" from Lord of the Rings.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own the wondrous world that is Narnia. I only borrow the characters then return them.**

_"Now listen carefully. Your father, in a past life, was a man of great standards. In fact, he was a lord."_

_Darcy's eyes widened. "A lord?"_

_Thornton nodded." Yes, now shush. He was a lord, and was very well liked. That was until his parents were killed and he was blamed. Now the only penalty for murder is death, but the king of that country was your father's friend and banished him instead. But he gave him a chance, that if your father could return in 25 years with proof that he was innocent, he would give him back his title."_

_"Father has the proof, doesn't he?"_

_"Yes, and the time is nearly up. But the man who framed the Captain doesn't want him to come back, as he is now the lord instead of Dar."_

_~Flashback~_

Sin eriol natha túr  
In úgarnen Mi naurath  
Oroin Boe hedi i Vín  
Han i vangad i moe ben  
Túr in úgarnen Sin eriol  
Cili 'war boe min mebi Boe min bango  
Sin eriol  
Úm beleg úgannen Ú cilith 'war Boe min mebi boe min bango  
Boe hedi i Vín  
Sin eriol úm, beleg úgannen  
Si na vethed, bain i wilith úria  
I ardhon ban lacha!  
Nu da naid bain úe  
Rin le regi erin le na  
Thi úeri o nin gwanno  
Orthannen im vi ôl, coll e dú  
Or hiriath naur, na rovail mae sui 'waew  
Man prestant i ardhon?  
Cerithar aen illiad dim úthenin

Thornton shivered at the sound of the mourning dirge. It was traditional to sing it after anyone, lord, soldier or peasant, had died. Today they were mourning the death of the beloved Lord of Meric Territory, Lord Corrigan. Thornton was privileged enough to have heard the song only once, when his father had died of fever.

Archenland was in poor shape. Warlords and tyrants terrorized the countryside as the King desperately tried to hold the country together. Famine and disease infested the land, yet in all of this, Meric was a bright spot. It was located on the coast of Archenland, bordering Narnia, the result of a treaty between the late Queen Swanwhite of Narnia and King Dain of Archenland. Their lord and lady were a jovial, elderly couple who had been blessed with two twin boys. Dar, the eldest, was fair and kind, and just as cheerful as his parents. He had never been close with his younger brother, Darrin, probably because they were polar opposites. Thornton had been a close friend to the merry Dar, who had given him a job at Castle Meric.

Now all of that was gone. Dar had been accused of murder, his brother had been given the lordship, and the former lord and lady were dead.

And the only person who could somehow fix all this mess was Thornton. And he didn't even know he could. He had stumbled upon some letters, maps, and a journal while cleaning Darrin's room yesterday. Little did he know that they were letters of correspondence between Darrin and White Witch. Darrin had been planning to give the Witch reinforcements, battle tactics, and information of the weaknesses of the Archenlandian army in exchange for his life, title, and land. All that was needed was for him to become Lord, and lay his hand on closely guarded government strategies and weaknesses. And to do that he needed to- eliminate- his parents and brother. The Witch had provided him a poison; one of her agents had implanted it in his parent's food. All that he had to do was to frame his brother. That had been the easiest part- his brother had been eating alone with his parents before leaving on a voyage to the Lone Islands to meet friends. Dar had been arrested the following evening. Nothing would stand in Darrin's way now.

"The prisoner Dar, son of Lord Corrigan, former knight in His Majesties Most Royal Order of the Crow, is hearby charged with treason and murder-"

Said prisoner stood in front of the royal court of Archenland, his eyes downcast.

"How ironic", he thought bitterly.

The last time he had been here he had been a celebrated knight, returning from his first mission. Now he was a prisoner in chains. Bitter Irony. The King Lune sat on his throne, his usually cheerful demeanor grave. The penalty for murder was execution, by the sword, in public view. But the penalty for treason was to be hung by the neck until death. And Lune really did not want to see one of his oldest friend's head chopped off, or for him to choke to death. His most lovely wife had not attended the court because she could not bear to see Dar, a former loyal supporter to the king and most brave and chivalric knight, be killed in such an unhonorable death

"Why Dar?" he silently pleaded, "why?"

"-the sentence shall be made by his most royal majesty, King Lune."

All eyes were on him now. He had to make a choice, public humiliation and eternal shame, or a slow death.

"Do you plead innocence?" he asked Dar. Dar said nothing, just looked at him. And that single look was worth more than a thousand words from Dar, and in his heart of hearts, Lune realized that he had known all along that his friend was innocent.

"Ah."

Now here was the hard part. Lune knew that his friend was innocent, but the other lords might not be swayed as easily. Most of them did not like the usably likeable Dar. And for a prisoner to be pardoned, the entire court had to agree. Needless to say, that did not happen very often.

"The verdict is-"Lune paused, rethinking his decision. It would cause turmoil in the court, but it would save his friend an unhonorable death.

"Banishment."

Chaos broke out among the lords. One, a shifty looking dark- eyed man by the name of Lord Slevin, spoke.

"My lord, with all due respect, I must inform you that you can't do that."

Lune smiled.

"My lord, with all due respect,_ I_ must inform _you_ that I can do that. And I just did."

"The law clearly states-!"

"The law can be changed." Lune leaned back in his throne, observing the red-faced man who had spoken with abnormally dangerous eyes."

"And I am king, am I not?"

Lune curtly sat up and banged his fist on the arm of his throne.

"Court dismissed!"

The group of angry lords eventually broke up, and Lune was left in an empty room with Dar. At least, as empty as you can get in a room filled with enough secret cabinets to house a troop. Lune stepped down from his throne and basically ran to Dar, who had acted as an older brother and advisor. The two had been best friends from birth, and had saved each other's lives numerous times. Lune clumsily unlocked the chains on Dar's hands, grumbling to himself as he did so.

"Bloody Dar, getting himself into this mess, banished, pahh!"

Dar chuckled." Glad to see you to, mate."

Lune got the chains undone and grinned.

The two ran down to the stables, Lune informing Dar of his plan along the way.

"I doubt that any of the lords will let you leave Archenland alive, so me and young Thornton here-" Dar looked back to see said young man closely following them. Thornton gave him a solemn nod.

"-concocted a plan. Thornton will get you out of the country and into Terebinthia. That's were all thieves and outlaws go. I have a friend there, his name's Captain Groves of the Phantom. He's a pirate, but a good man. He'll give you a job."

Lune stopped. They were in the stable yard, where two horses, saddled and ready to go, waited. He gripped his friend's arm and looked him straight in the eye.

"Listen, if you come here in twenty years time, once everything has calmed down, if you come with proof that you did not murder your parents or betray the kingdom, I will give you back your rightful title, lands, and knighthood."

Dar and Thornton swung up onto their horses. Lune waited until they were settled to give them a bag of golden coins and swords, as well as a deep-hooded cloak for Dar.

"You do understand now that I didn't- you know, right?"

Lune smiled."Mate, I never believed you did in the first place."

His eyes were becoming misty; he could never manage these goodbyes. Dar opened his mouth to say something, but Lune shook his head furiously. Nothing was left to be said. Dar gave Lune one last toothy grin, before spurring his horse on, Thornton shadowing him faithfully. Lune stood in the courtyard, in the dust the horses had left behind. He obtrusively wiped a tear from his eyes, before cupping his hands around his mouth.

"Tally-ho mates, tally-ho!"

"Blast!"

Darrin swore from under his breath. His agents had just informed him that Dar was gone, and that the King had banished him. And to top that off, his letters and information that had been secretly passed on to him between him and the Witch, were gone. This was not good.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: And so continues the story of the good Lord Dar and his cohort Thornton, this is still a flashback, and will be until the middle of the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia, and, as I have now realized, I do not own Dar or Darrin either, I just- tweaked them. **

"_Blast!" _

_Darrin swore from under his breath. His agents had just informed him that Dar was gone, and that the King had banished him. And to top that off, his letters and information that had been secretly passed on to him between him and the Witch, were gone. This was not good._

It was six years later, and the merry Dar was setting off to sea again. A lot had happened in those short four years. For instance, Dar and Thornton had gone pirate, Dar had gotten married, and he and his sweet wife Mona had been blessed with an equally merry daughter. Thus the reason why Dar was returning to sea.

He had met his lovely bride in the strangest of places, a fortune-tellers booth in Terebinthia. He had tried to charm her with his dashing good looks and quick wit. She had laughed at him and called him a- she had called him names. He had visited the booth many times throughout the next year, and eventually the girl had married him. They now had a sweet, adorable daughter, with her ma's dark features and her da's green eyes. However, times were hard, even for a pirate like him, and he had been forced to go back to his old marauding life- only for money reasons, of course.

That, was an open-faced lie. For there was another reason Dar was leaving. Over the last few years he and Thornton, a loyal servant to his exiled master, had been collecting proof from various sources that proved that Darrin was the one who killed his parents and betrayed the kingdom. As it seemed, Darrin had been involved in numerous other illegal ventures. They had also found that Darrin had numerous agents, spies, assassins and murderers. All in all, an unsavory lot. And so it was for his dear wife's safety, and for the peace of the village, that Dar was forced to leave.

It wasn't enough.

Two days after Dar had left, the privateer _Victory_, under command of Darrin, attacked the lazy, sleepy, seaside village of Westvale. It was none other than the town that Dar's wife and daughter were currently residing. It seems that gossip really does travel fast, because eight days after Dar had boarded the ship, three days after the sea-battle in which the late Captain Groves was gravely wounded, and two days after Dar became Captain of the _Phantom_, word of the massacre was already infesting the ports. Dar set sail back to Westvale two hours after he heard the news. There he found the garbled tale of what had happened.

"There was hundreds of 'em!"

"We didn't stand a chance!"

"It was a massacre!"

"We could do nothing to stop them!"

Eventually Dar found what had happened to his dear wife and daughter, from the old man Seamus, a dear friend of the young couple.

"Mona gave me the babe and told me to run. I tripped and fell; the wind covered us with sand and hid us. Mona attacked the man in charge, he looked rather like you. He played with her, didn't even give her an honorable death. I'm sorry, but there was nothing I could do."

Dar silently stared at the sleeping babe in his arms, oddly morose. She was the last reminder of her mother, he couldn't let her suffer the same fate. His voice sounded lifeless to himself.

"It's ok, Seamus. You did all you could."

The jaded old sailor leaned back and began examining his fingernails.

"So, what are you going to do?"

Dar smiled a little as the baby made little growling noises in her sleep. A pirate from birth, he thought.

"I'm going to bring her back with me, on the Phantom. She'll grow up there, and I'll be around to protect her."

Seamus now had leaned forward and looked Dar in the eye.

"I mean, what are you going to do about that lily-livered bastard who murdered half of this village."

Dar smiled grimly.

"I'm going to kill him." Now that the aftershock of his wife's death was gone, and now that he had something to do, a beginning of a plan was beginning to glimmer in Dar's mind.

"Seamus, can you hold something for me? I've got some letters I want to keep here."

* * *

As these memories and more were running through Dar's head, his body was in action as he swung from one boat to the other. The memories of the burned village, of the wailings of mourners, of the mauled body of his wife once he had identified the remains, all of this horror that Darrin had inflicted on him, all of this rushed through his head. Then his feet touched the wooden deck of the opposing ship, and he saw Darrin, his former brother.

His eyes saw red.

He was not Captain Dar of the _Phantom_ anymore, nor was he the son of a lord.

He was no longer himself, and, for the first time twenty years, Dar lost it.

And that was a terrible sight to behold.

I shall not describe the battle, only to say that some of the crew of the _Flames of Tashabaan_ was forced to come on the ship and contain him. I shall say that by the time they had contained him- with chains, I might add, not ropes- more than half the crew on board were slain, and Dar was wounded in several places. He was dragged before his brother, the Lord Darrin, and was forced to kneel.

His brother chuckled.

"Dar, Dar, Dar. I never thought I'd see you brought to this level."

His brother only curled his lip and emitted a wordless snarl.

His brother only chuckled more.

"Naughty, naughty."

His sword made a rasping noise as it was drawn and pointed at Dar's throat.

"Any last words, brother?"

Said brother only looked at Darrin with a look in his eye that made Darrin quail inside.

"These words shall be my last, so remember them brother. I die because your thick headedness and jealousy have forced me to the lowest of the low. But at least I have one thing that you can never steal."

Darrin snorted.

"I highly doubt that."

Dar smiled.

"I have hope."

Darrin laughed loud and hard.

"Hope? Really? I knew that you were thick, but this!"

Once he had calmed enough and wiped the mirthful tears from his eyes, he spoke to his brother again.

"And how far do you think this- hope, will get you. You can pray as hard as you want to that Lion you worship, but it isn't going to get you anywhere."

Dar said nothing for a long while, before smiling once more at Darrin before giving him his answer.

"It can get me anywhere." Darrin's hackles began to rise as he realized what Dar was saying." It can get me anywhere and everywhere, because without it, I can go nowhere. The enemy may bind me, but my soul flies free."

That was part of an Old Narnian proverb. Their mother had whispered it to them every night before they went to sleep. With a cry of rage, Darrin stabbed the sword into Dar's heart. He died quickly enough, but not before Darrin could hear his final words.

_I am not alone, brother._

* * *

You might be wondering what had happened to Thornton and the three youths. Well, after Thornton had told his captain's tale of woe, the entire room was silent in shock.

"So, if father's a lord, that would make me a, a-"

"-a lady." Edmund finished Darcy's sentence, in just as much shock as she was.

Thornton nodded."Yes. And since I fear your father is dead, you are the last hope for Meric, and possibly Archenland."

At Darcy's questioning look, Thorton elaborated.

"It seems that even after the Witch's defeat, Darrin kept in touch with some of her agents. We stumbled across the letters in a port of the coast of the Long Islands. Remember? That was the time we left half of our crew drinking in a tavern, then returned two days later to pick them up?" Darcy nodded.

"We were escaping some of Darrin's assassins. After he read the letters, Dar told me that we had no more need to look for information. I was not allowed to see the letters, he just told me the basics. For the next two weeks, he disappeared to hide the information, and I have not heard anything about them since."

"But-"A question was on Lucy's lips, when they heard voices outside of the door.

Everyone in the room was silent. Then they heard banging on the door.

Everyone stood at once and drew their weapons. Lucy's face was pale, but as she drew her knife, she felt better, since that small gift helped her remember that she was not alone. She turned to see Thornton and Darcy engaged in a fierce conversation.

"There's no need for us all to die here." Thornton tried to reason, but Darcy would have none of it.

"No! Either we all go, or we all stay here."

Thornton glanced at the door, shaking under the blows."I made an oath to your father that I would keep you safe, and I intend to keep that promise."

"No! You're the only one I have left! Dad is- might be dead, and I'm not going to let you throw away your life for me!"

Thornton put his hands on her trembling shoulders.

"I gave your father a vow of allegiance the night we ran away, that I would stand by his side, and support him in all he did. I give this same vow to you, as your humble servant."

"That's just it! I'm not a lady! I'm a pirate! I don't want to save Kirnic, or, whatever it is!"

"No time for that." Thornton grabbed a rope and a cudgel, smashing the big windows at the back of the cabin, and securing the rope on the desk leg. He grabbed Lucy and Edmund."There's a jollyboat down there, row it to the shore. If I survive, I'll find you."

Neither monarch wanted to leave the kind man, but they had watched many of their friends and subjects die for them. They understood that it was a final show of allegiance, and that even if they thought they could defend the kingdom by themselves, someone was always going to die. So they lowered themselves down the rope, after Lucy had given Thornton a hug and had sobbed her goodbyes, and Edmund had embraced the man too, and said his farewells. Edmund saw the door splinter before he escaped the ship.

Thornton had no time to force Darcy out the window, the door had been destroyed and men were flooding in. The two fought back to back. It was only once the they were fighting side to side that Thornton was able to seize Darcy by the wrist.

"Head to Port Cael in Terebinthia," he told her as he jumped a blow to his neck and twisted away.

"There's a women called Sorcha, she runs a fortune tellers booth." He slashed at an opponent's throat.

"Not going without you," Darcy panted as she jumped a blow aimed at her feet.

"Please," Thornton was able to catch her eye before a man jumped on her from behind. She whirled around and stabbed him in the stomach."Please."

The enemy was multiplying faster than Darcy and Thornton could cut them down. There was only one thing left to do. Thornton grabbed the girl and hauled her to the broken window, cutting a way through the enemy as he did." I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear. Darcy turned her tearstained face toward Thornton and nodded, once. Thornton's grip loosened on her arm and she jumped up on the window sill, looking back once before climbing down the rope.

But one of the merchantries had noticed her escape. He dashed to the desk and began hacking at the rope. He heard a roar behind him and turned in time to see Thornton, his sword raised high, stab him in the chest. But it was too late. The rope, already weak from sitting in the dusty room, had taken enough. Darcy felt it give and he enough time to release the rope and cling to the side of the ship, spread spider-like on the hull. She saw Lucy and Edmund looking up at her.

"Cast off! Cast off!"she yelled at the monarchs. They heard her and began rowing away. By now more of the men on the boat had noticed her movements and were climbing down ropes to her. There was nothing left to do. Darcy closed her eyes and concentrated. Growing up on a ship, she had learned to swim and dive before she could walk. Taking a deep breath, Darcy threw herself backwards off the ship, pointing her toes up and making her body as streamline as possible, executing a perfect dive.

She faintly heard the zip of arrows around her, then she felt the sudden shock of the ice water.


End file.
